When GCC heads of state hold their annual summit in Abu Dhabi this year, it could be the most exciting experience of their meeting.
The summit will not merely take place in the world's second seven-star hotel, but in a dome-covered palace that has a striking resemblance to ancient royal Arabian palaces seen only in movies and mentioned in the One Thousand And One Nights legends.
At first glance from a distance, the new structure stretching along the capital's massive seaside could be mistaken for a huge mosque or an ancient palace resurrected from the days of Sinbad or Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves in Baghdad centuries ago.
"It's nearly finished and most of the work now involves greening and landscaping," said an engineer at the site. "The hotel will be ready before the end of the year for the summit of the GCC leaders? afterwards, it will be open to the public."
The sprawling sandy-coloured structure occupies a big chunk of Abu Dhabi's beach facing the city's neat faade, and its marble-like majestic walls and numerous ornamented domes can be seen from a long distance along the seven-kilometre seaside.
With its cost of around Dh1.8 billion ($490 million), the project straddles an 850,000 square metre area at the Western edge of the capital and will have nearly 440 rooms and suites.
The hotel's design blends traditional material and motifs with the latest technology while the corrosion-proof dome reflects the country's cultural heritage.
It will feature 12 restaurants and other entertainment facilities and will house the Middle East's biggest auditorium with space for 1,200 people.
Getting close to the structure gives visitors a feeling of luxurious modernity with the charm of the past and its legendary Arabian tales.
It is the world's second seven-star hotel after Dubai's Burj Al Arab.
In contrast to the Burj Al Arab, a vertical but majestic hallmark of the Middle East's transhipment centre, Emirates Palace is a sprawling horizontal compound that includes a main building and several separate oriental villas dotting more than one kilometre of the beach.
What distinguishes this structure from other buildings in the city is its magnificent oriental architecture, its colour and numerous domes, which are overshadowed by the much larger mother dome that occupies nearly 40 metres. Emerging out of the mother dome is a short glittering yellow pole made of nearly 20 kilos of pure gold.
Hundreds of workers raced against time to complete the project on time and prepare it for the most exciting experience in the summits of the 23-year-old Gulf Cooperation Council. The bulk of the construction is finished and the focus has shifted to landscaping that involves greening surrounding areas and planting palm trees that will underscore its resemblance to ancient Arabian palaces and their fables.
Security around the project has been tight since it was launched two years ago. Checkpoints have been erected to bar unauthorised visitors and the beach adjoining the breakwater has been shut. Large steel boards have been erected around the project and many signboards read "no trespassing".
Sandwiched between the Khaledeyya Palace Hotel, the Ladies Beach and the Hilton Hotel, the project could also be mistaken for a village as many smaller buildings are being constructed around the domed structure.
The project lies opposite the expanding breakwater that is emerging as a major cultural and tourist centre housing a heritage village, ship restaurants, heritage theatre, a heritage restaurant and a massive marine sport club.
The hotel complements other giant construction and recreational projects taking shape along the city's northern and western coastlines. They include the breakwater facilities, a nearby palm-dotted tourist village, and the multi-billion-dollar Disneyland-style Lulu fun city to be built on a man-made island just three kilometres from the Emirates Palace.
The hotel appears to be seizing prestige from the nearby Intercontinental Hotel which has hosted two GCC summits and has suites named after Gulf leaders.
At night, when Abu Dhabi is bathed in glittering light, the Emirates Palace appears more majestic and fantastic as its domes shine out of surrounding hotels and the nearby water like an egg lain by a mammoth bird.
When completed, it is set to become Abu Dhabi's hallmark that will steal light from its existing landmark high-rise towers dotting its spectacular Corniche and the magnificent Etisalat tower with its famous white ball at the top.
Gulf News
